Andrea Kimi Antonelli has admitted that Mercedes no longer enjoys the dominant advantage it held at the beginning of the 2026 Formula 1 season, warning that Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren have significantly reduced the gap. The newly crowned world champion believes the competition has become much closer, with the balance of performance now capable of changing from one circuit to another.
Speaking at a press conference in San Marino following his championship triumph, the Italian driver also confirmed that Mercedes intends to conduct numerous experiments during the final three Grands Prix of the season. The objective is to better understand the car and prepare for what could be a considerably more competitive 2027 championship.
Kimi Antonelli admits Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren have closed the gap to Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli recently returned to Italy following a three-race sequence in the Americas that saw him win the United States Grand Prix, secure the 2026 Formula 1 world championship with third place in Mexico and then finish fifth at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen claimed victory in Mexico, while Lando Norris won in Brazil. Ferrari also demonstrated particularly strong competitiveness at the Mexican Grand Prix, underlining how much the leading teams have improved compared with the beginning of the season.
Speaking in his home region of San Marino, Andrea Kimi Antonelli acknowledged that Mercedes can no longer expect to maintain the same level of superiority it demonstrated during the opening rounds.
“It’s extremely important to go out on track and win to show that we’re still the best,” Andrea Kimi Antonelli explained. “Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari have closed the gap considerably, and we’re not as dominant as we were at the beginning of the season. The performance differences between us are smaller, and the competitive order can change from circuit to circuit.”
The Mercedes driver’s assessment reflects an increasingly competitive battle at the front of the field. The progress made by the chasing teams has become particularly significant, with Ferrari and Red Bull reducing their performance deficit to Mercedes through development during the 2026 season.
Mercedes faces budget cap and wind tunnel restrictions ahead of 2027
Although Andrea Kimi Antonelli has already secured his first Formula 1 world championship, the Italian remains cautious about Mercedes’ prospects of repeating that success in 2027.
The financial regulations and restrictions on aerodynamic testing represent important challenges for the team. Having won the championship, Mercedes now faces reduced wind tunnel testing allowances, making it more difficult to maintain its technical advantage over its rivals.
“It’s difficult to say whether we’ll be able to repeat our success with the budget cap and the limits on wind tunnel hours, which are now lower for us because we’ve won,” Andrea Kimi Antonelli continued. “It will be important to finish the season strongly and keep working on the new package because there are still so many things we need to understand.”
Mercedes must therefore balance the immediate objective of continuing to win races with the longer-term requirement of preparing its next Formula 1 car. With Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren increasingly competitive, the team cannot assume that its championship-winning performance will automatically carry over into the following season.
Kimi Antonelli confirms Mercedes will experiment during final three F1 races
Andrea Kimi Antonelli also revealed that Mercedes plans to use the final three races of the 2026 championship to conduct additional tests and improve its understanding of the car ahead of 2027.
“We’ll carry out lots of tests during these three Grands Prix to better understand the car for next year,” the Italian added. “It will be important to push and try to win the remaining races so that we can go into 2027 with even greater determination.”
The approach highlights Mercedes’ determination to continue developing despite having already secured the championship. For Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the final races are an opportunity both to build on his title-winning campaign and to gather valuable information for the next season.
With the competitive gap narrowing, Mercedes faces the challenge of defending its position against three increasingly strong rivals. The Italian champion believes that finishing 2026 on a positive note, while learning as much as possible about the new package, will be essential preparation for the battles ahead.
More news about Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes
- Toto Wolff praises Andrea Kimi Antonelli following his Formula 1 world championship victory
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli explains why he will not use number 1 in the 2027 F1 season
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli reveals Toto Wolff’s warning after his Mercedes clash with George Russell
Leave a Reply